Don’t Look Back

“When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!” But Lot said to them, “No, my Lords, please! Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it—it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.” He said to him, “Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it.” (That is why the town was called Zoar.) By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” Genesis 19:16-26 NIV

The past is the past. Each and every one of us has something in our past which we wish would disappear like Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord does not want us to look back on these things, or to dwell on them. When we do, we are at risk of taking our eyes, and our hearts, off of the Lord.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

Don’t look back, it’s that simple. Our Lord says don’t, and he knows what’s best. He is God. What does looking back do to prepare us for the journey we have with him?

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4 NKJV

When we accept Christ as our Lord, we are created anew.  Why look back?

Many times the enemy will use past experiences to hinder our walk. He reminds us of all of our failings, and why we should NOT hold our heads up high. He is the Father of all lies, do not believe him!

Jesus, after his resurrection, reminded his apostles once more where they should be looking, and to whom they should be looking.

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”  John 21:20-22 NIV

Jesus encouraged Peter to keep his mind and eyes on Him!

Put God ahead of you, and the past behind you.

Look to Him, and don’t look back.

Barnabas

Special thanks to Barnabas for this guest submission.